Have 3D Model Question for SH4

[RED JOHNSON]

..
Why is it that Microsoft Flight Simulator has A huge community of moders that have seemingly no difficulty in Creating new Aircraft on a daily basis and posting them for download and adding to thier Flight Simulator, yet it seems to be regarded to be nearly impossible to create new 3D Ships for SH4. Could somebody please Explain why creating 3D models is so seemingly easy in Microsoft Flight simulator , yet seems by many to be nigh on impossible to do here in SH4.
I Hope that someone can answer this for me
as it is truely Baffeling.........
please if you can explain this , do write back to me as I am wanting to know the reason why. I am A Scientist who received straight A's In Physics so please feel free to explain it in detail if you can
Thank you and waiting to hear back on this

RED JOHNSON

[Seeadler]

MS Flightsim was designed during the development that later it is possible for a customer to add external model content in a relativ easy way, like many developers did it with First Person Shooter MP games.

These developers/publishers created during the development already a special SDK or modtools for the public. Ubisoft did it with the Silent Hunter series the other way, they never published or modified their inhouse SH tools for the public. They suggested to publish with SH3 a modtool for creating own 3D ports, but never release this toolset.

[kapitan_zur_see]

Indeed, SH4 was never developped as a mods-friendly game. So EVERYTHING that is modded here for SH4 had to be entirely figured out by the community: no SDK(=Software Development Kit).
Regarding your question, it's due to lack of 3d model importer (to SH4 format).
However, Skwas is working hard on it in his Silent 3ditor and I believe it's on the verge of working.

Now, i don't know for other modders but i've found a way to import 3d model into SH4 vs. some slight SH4's rendering engine capabilities lost (in fact, rendered like in SH3: light react less precisely on the model, no SH4 caustics, etc.)

If you wanna see what i mean, go check my mod "historical 4 bladed props" (see link below in my signature)

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Man, I'd love to incorporate my 3D models into SH4. I use lightwave and 3DS Max. But my models are high-polygon numbered so it probably won't run anyway without blowing up someone's PC.

[kapitan_zur_see]

Originally Posted by DavyJonesFootlocker

But my models are high-polygon numbered so it probably won't run anyway without blowing up someone's PC.

Sure thing if you didn't moddeled them on the purpose of using them in a game
You don't care about using high iterations for smoothing meshes when it's not to be rendered in real-time, isn't it

What have you been modelling?

Originally Posted by DavyJonesFootlocker

Man, I'd love to incorporate my 3D models into SH4. I use lightwave and 3DS Max.

I really know what you mean lol that's why i just couldn't wait for an importer (though still wainting to get all SH4 functions). Skwas could certainly testify this :rotfl:

[sergbuto]

Originally Posted by DavyJonesFootlocker

Man, I'd love to incorporate my 3D models into SH4. I use lightwave and 3DS Max. But my models are high-polygon numbered so it probably won't run anyway without blowing up someone's PC.

What is the polycount? Anything with tens of thousands would likely be okay. If they are of hundreds thousands than it is no use.

[kapitan_zur_see]

Originally Posted by sergbuto

What is the polycount? Anything with tens of thousands would likely be okay. If they are of hundreds thousands than it is no use.

I believe he meant much more than 10.000 poly
The Balao hull (that is, without conning tower and deck guns) for example is made of 28524 polygons. It's already quite a high resolution but you would generally be way above that for a "movie-like" rendering.

[sergbuto]

Originally Posted by kapitan_zur_see

I believe he meant much more than 10.000 poly

I did not say 10000 polys, I said tens of thousands which means all the way up to 90 000.

Makeing the models is as easy as for Flight Sim or any other game
for that matter.
What happens with SH4 is the problem of TMAPs.
Where SH3 is very forgiveing of no TMAPs,
SH4 does not forgive!!

There are some very talented people working to solve this.
I have seen some of thier early work,
exchanged information with them,
and tested somethings.

It will be solved.
I'm VERY confident of this!

[sergbuto]

SH4 is as forgiving of no TMAPs as SH3. One does not necessarily need to have them and the ships would still look better than in SH3, IMO.

SH3 is more democratic in assignments of textures but I doubt anyone except me used that as an advantage by e.g. doing the tricks I did in SH3. But now I am paying the price when converting the ships from my SH3 mods to SH4.

[kapitan_zur_see]

i won't say it's as easy eheh
Modelling an airplane is far easier than a submarine i think. But modelling a sub would be far easier than moddeling something organic like a character!
Depends of course on your modelling capabilities lol

[skwasjer]

ETA early release probably end of feb/begin of march...

[denis_469]

Originally Posted by DavyJonesFootlocker

Man, I'd love to incorporate my 3D models into SH4. I use lightwave and 3DS Max. But my models are high-polygon numbered so it probably won't run anyway without blowing up someone's PC.

What is ships have you?

[kapitan_zur_see]

Originally Posted by skwasjer

ETA early release probably end of feb/begin of march...

Good news on that one

As for the model, you could send it to me on PM so i can have a look and tells you, if you want.